Mount Saint Mary's University vs. UC Merced

Comparable Facts

Compare Mount Saint Mary's University in Los Angeles, CA with University of California Merced in Merced, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

University of California Merced is larger than Mount Saint Mary's University based on total student enrollment (9,110 students vs. 2,312 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Mount Saint Mary's University is located in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting); University of California Merced is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Mount Saint Mary's University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of California Merced is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Mount Saint Mary's University 8:1; University of California Merced 20:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mount Saint Mary's University are 27.6% lower than at University of California Merced ($15,518 vs. $21,445).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.5% higher at UC Merced than at Mount Saint Mary's University (about $259 more per year; $49,823 vs. $49,564).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mount Saint Mary's University than at University of California Merced (100% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Saint Mary's University students is 43.7% larger than aid received by University of California Merced students ($39,218 vs. $27,292).

Admissions details

• Typical ACT composite is 1 point higher at UC Merced than at Mount Saint Mary's University (21 vs. 20, midpoint estimate).
• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both Mount Saint Mary's University and UC Merced.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Merced Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled first-year students at Mount Saint Mary's University average a 3.59 high school GPA, 0.04 higher than at UC Merced (3.55).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12% at Mount Saint Mary's University vs. 7.2% at UC Merced.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Merced graduates have a $5,101 lower median loan debt than Mount Saint Mary's University graduates ($19,899 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, UC Merced graduates have an estimated $53 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Mount Saint Mary's University graduates ($205 vs. $258).
• More UC Merced graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mount Saint Mary's University students, three years after graduation (64% vs. 59%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.